Working the Shadow Side: A Guide to Positive Behind-the-Scenes Management / Edition 1

by Gerard Egan

Overview

Offers managers, consultants, and employees alike a practicalstarter kit that reveals how to identify, manage, and gain valuefrom the below-the surface activities in an organization. Drawingon his worldwide consulting, teaching, and research experience,Gerard Egan shows how to create opportunity and competitiveadvantage by learning how to manage shadow-side realities. Heidentifies five interactive categories of behavior that affect bothproductivity and quality of work life in today'sorganizations—covert culture, the idiosyncrasies of individuals,the interactions of the organization's social system, institutionalpolitics, and the hidden organization—and details specific skillsand strategies for mining economic value from each one.

Harness the covert aspects of your organization — covert culture,individual idiosyncrasies, institutional politics — forcompetitive advantage. World-renown consultant, teacher andresearcher Gerard Egan identifies five shadow side work behaviors,and details specifics for mining the economic value of each.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780787900113
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/28/1994
Series:	Jossey-Bass Management Series
Edition description:	1st ed
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

GERARD EGAN is professor of organization studies and psychology at Loyola University of Chicago. He consults to a variety of organizations worldwide including The World Bank, British Airways, and Amoco Corporation and is the author of numerous books, including the best-selling The Skilled Helper (4th edition, 1990).

Table of Contents

Preface xi

The Author xv

What Goes on in the Shadows

1 What is the Shadow Side? The Covert, Undiscussed, and Undiscussable Things That Drive Your Organization 3

2 Getting Attuned to the Shadows 17

Mining Value from the Shadow Side

3 Uncovering the Economics of the Shadow side 43

4 Becoming an Effective Behind-the-Scenes Manager 55

Revealing Your Organization’s Hidden Culture

5 “The Way We Do Things Here”: A Primer of Beliefs, Values, and Norms 75

6 Making the Culture Serve Your Business 96

Managing the Shadow Side of People

7 Personal Styles: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Ambiguous 127

8 working with Personal Styles and Promoting Productive Relationships 138

9 In-Groups, Out-Groups, Cliques, and Clubs: Finding Value in Your Organization’s Social Realities 164

Positive Political Skills at Work

10 Turf, Power, Agendas, and Resources: The Anatomy of Organizational Politics 195

11 How to Practice Positive Politics 212

Bringing It all Together

12 Making the Hidden Organization Serve the Business 233

13 Epilogue: Making Chaos Your Friend 256

References 267

Index 271

Editorial Reviews

"Gerry Egan's focus on the shadow side of any organization—theinformal, implicit beliefs and practices that really distinguishone organization from anotheris a valuable insight for anyone whois serious about fundamental change." —Liam Strong, CEO, Sears,PLC

"This comprehensive work puts in perspective the tremandouseconomic benefit that managers can add to their organizations bynot only recognizing the effect of the shadow side, but managing itwell. Egan addresses these subjects in a clear, comprehensive, andcommon-sense manner." —William D. Ford, president, Amoco OilCompany

From the Publisher

A Loyola University of Chicago professor of organization development and psychology, Egan argues persuasively that an organization's "hidden culture" can add to its value. The shadow side of the institution--the unspoken, unacknowledged, behind-the-scenes stuff--is usually assumed to be negative and to get in the way of organizational efficiency and effectiveness. But managers who can develop a set of strategies and day-to-day skills for handling the shadow side can bring on positive change in today's fast-paced business environment. The author explains and gives advise on what goes on in the shadows and how to mine value from the shadow side, illustrating how managers who gain the skills necessary to deal with the hidden culture and hehind-the-scenes events can reduce the negative financial implications and turn shadow-side realities into competitive advantages. Highly recommended for all levels of managers in today's organizations; scholars, consultants, and advanced students of business and organizational studies will also find it useful.

Joseph Leonard